Despite predictions of a physician surplus by 1990, graduates of foreign medical schools (both aliens and U.S. citizens) continue to flow into the United States. Secondary analysis of 1980 data suggests that graduates of foreign schools may secure their presence within the American medical system by selecting specialties where shortages exist. (KH)

The increase in the number of women and the decline in the number of foreign medical graduates in U.S. medicine were studied by comparing the specialty distributions of house officers in the 1973-74 and 1979-80 training years. Implications are discussed in the context that there is a physician surplus. (Author/MLW)

Examples of social concerns in health care delivery, such as the foreign medical graduate situation and physician distribution, are used to illustrate the author's suggestion that there are discrepancies between the underlying situations and the subjective perception of the social concerns involved. This causes inadequate or inappropriate reforms.…